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East Lansing Police: 57 fires, at least 15 arrested after Michigan State victory on Saturday

MSU students celebrate Big Ten title win in Cedar Village

Michigan State students celebrate around a large fire outside of the Cedar Village Apartments on Dec. 8, 2013. Police and fire crews stood by as the celebration raged before dispersing the crowd.
(Jay Scott Smith | MLive.com)

EAST
LANSING – East Lansing Police confirmed they arrested 15 people during celebrations near Michigan State University
following Saturday's Spartan Big Ten Championship victory over Ohio State
University.

Of those arrests, 12 were current MSU students and
one was an alumnus of the school. East Lansing police and fire departments also responded to "a minimum of
57 fires."

A Michigan State student is dropped while "crowd-surfing" during a celebration at the Cedar Village Apartments on Dec. 8, 2013. The unnamed student was not injured.Jay Scott Smith | MLive.com

Police are calling the incident a "large civil
disturbance" – not a riot. Students poured into the streets outside
of the Cedar Village student apartment complex to celebrate with fireworks, and a
larger group of partiers set fire to a couch while dancing and chanting in a large circle.

The crowd, which was estimated to be a couple thousand, was loudly celebrating as MSU police officers blocked off traffic
into the complex. Students stoked the fire by tossing lawn furniture,
undergarments, tree limbs and a basketball hoop. A mattress thrown into the first caused a giant fireball to rise into the sky.

Despite Twitter and other reports, no tear gas
was used to disperse the crowd, police said.

Michigan State University President Lou Anna
Simon warned of other consequences for anyone affiliated with the university
found to have broken the law.

"The behavior last night on campus and in East
Lansing by both students and non-students was disappointing," Simon said in a
statement on Sunday. "These incidents will be reviewed within the appropriate
legal and university processes and individuals will be held accountable.

"I ask that you join me in reinforcing that Spartans
honor the success of our teams by celebrating with class."